saegrek



R. A. lSAEGER.

GRADOMETER.

APPLICATION H Ll-:D MAY 14, 191s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- Elf/bonne Patented July 27, 1920.

y u a w IS 2 Aff E M u y ,wd M I. w/

provided in the opposite sides of the easing i oNrrED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

RAYMOND A. sanenn, or .Ani/ione, niioninn.

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Application filed May 14, 1918. Serial No. 234,445.

To all wlw/fait may concern.' f

Be it lrnown that I, RAYMOND A. Simona, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at An kona, in the county of-St. Lucie and State of Florida, have invented` new anduseful lmprovements in Gradometers, et which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to an attachment for vehicles, such as automobiles, aeroplanes and other motor driven machines, and is designed to indicate the grade over which a land.

craft travels or thev inclination oi an air craft.

The primary object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which shall be ot an extremely simple construction, easily attached to any convenient part of a machine to render the same readily percepti ble to the observer, and which will perform the functions for which it is designed with ease and with accuracy.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, in which, y

Figure 1 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of a portion of an automobile or aeroplane having my improvement secured thereon.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional. view through the casing including the improvement.

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewapproxim ately on the line SW3 of Fig. 2.

F ig. 4t is a perspective view oit the gear ring` and the weight carrying core therefor.

Fi 5 isa detail sectional view illustrating the manner in which the core may be adjusted with respect to the gear ring or band.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view approximately on the line 6-6 oi'' Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view approximately on the line TQ-7 ofFig. 3.

The numeral 10 designates a suitable casing which, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawinvs may be attached to the dash of an automobile or in a position convenient to the aviator in an air craft. The casing may be oi a substantially rectangular formation as disclosed by the drawings and isprovided with a sight opening 11 covered by a glass plate 12 having arranged transversely and centrally thereof an indicating bar or strip 13.

Journaled in suitable openings, preferably Specicationoi Letters latent.

Patented '-Jiily12'7, 1920.

is a pair of spaced shafts 14 and 15 respectively, the shaft 14E having secured thereon a wheel 16, and on the periphery ot this wheel is secured a 'toothed band 17. The band has one of its edges provided with a nontoothed extension 18, the saine being engaged Vby screws 19 thatenter the 'wheel 16. Tl e wheel 16 is in the nature of a fiat disk and in reality provides a core for the cylindrical toothed band 1i'. The wheel 16 has peripherally secured thereon the weight 20, the said weight being in the nature et a segment as is the wheel 1G. By loosening the screws19 it will be apparent that the toothed band may be turned a determined distance around the wheel and by removing the said screws the said band may be removed Yfrom the core.

On the shaft is keyed a pinion 21 which meshes with'the gear provided by the band 17, and on one side of the pinion 21 is secured an indicating wheel 22, the same having on its periphery a continuous strip 23, oi Celluloid or the like provided with suitable graduations 211. The graduations are arranged opposite the sight opening .11 and the weighted wheel 16,normally assuming one position will turn the gear 21, when the casing 10 assumes an angle, consequently revolving' the wheel 22 so that the degree mai-lts 24 will be readily apparent to the user ci the machine in which the device is installed.

The ratio between the gears 17 and 21, when the device is employed on aer planes where 100 per cent. grade is to be recorded. is 4: to 1 and when employed on automobiles where only per cent. ot the grade .need bc recorded, the ratio is 8 to 1. .The indicator wheel, when the device is used for automobiles registers from nothing to 'titty both ways around and when employed in aeroplanes registers one to one hundred both ways.

s both the `indicating and operating wheels or members are liable to accidental turning on their respective shafts, provide braking means therefor, the same being in the nature of flat springs 25 having one ot their ends secured to the respective sides of the `casing 10 and their other ends contacted with the sides ot the respective wheels 1G and 22. Preferably the tension of these springs may be regulated so that the pressure exerted thereby on the wheels may be prop- The wheel 16 preferably has its closed tace provided with a peripheral ange 15 against Which the toothed band 17 abuts, and if desired this flange or riml can be extended to contact With one of the sides of the pinion 2l to hold the said pinion against longitudinal movement, on its shaft, in one direction.

lThe spring brake members are contacted by adjusting elements 5l, the latter being preferably in the nature/o headless screws having their outer ends lzerfed and passing through threaded openings in the casing IO; By this arrangement, the Vproper ''rifctional Contact of the brake` with' the operati-ng wheels may be readily accomplished.

v What I claim is:

i In agradometer, tvvo spaced shafts, a core' faces open secured on one of said shafts, said core having a flange extending over its periphery from the closed face thereof, a toothed band arranged on the core and contacting with the flange thereof, a pinion on the second shaft meshing With the toothed band and also contacted by the flange of the eore, a graduated Wheel on the second shaft, a segmental Weight in the core, means on the outer edge of the core contacting with the Weight for holding the samey inthc core, a spring brake contacting With the periphery of the core and means for adjusting the pressure of' said brake against said core.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

'RAYMOND A. SAEGER. 

